Heather Yakin: Programs available for sex-trafficking victims

"It's happening in our communities," Shannon Wong told the group that had gathered on Tuesday to discuss how their human-services programs can address sex trafficking.

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By Heather Yakin

recordonline.com

By Heather Yakin

Posted Jul. 10, 2013 at 2:00 AM

By Heather Yakin

Posted Jul. 10, 2013 at 2:00 AM

» Social News

"It's happening in our communities," Shannon Wong told the group that had gathered on Tuesday to discuss how their human-services programs can address sex trafficking.

The breakup a few months ago of two sex-trafficking rings that operated in and around Newburgh acted as a wake-up call to the community. But many of these providers were already starting work on the issue before the high-profile arrests.

"It's not the tip of the iceberg. It's a fleck of the iceberg," said Wong, legislative director for the YWCAs of New York state and director of strategic initiatives of YWCA Orange County.

The trafficking cases are making their way through the court process.

Tuesday's gathering brought together representatives from the YWCA, Safe Homes of Orange County, the Rape Crisis Program at the Orange County Mental Health Association, the county's Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner program, Catholic Charities, A Friend's House (the youth shelter at HonorEHG), Westchester-based My Sister's Place, and the FBI's victim assistance program. They spoke about the challenges of dealing with sex trafficking, and how to coordinate the services that their organizations bring to the table.

The biggest problem: Identifying who's being trafficked. The next: Getting them the help they need.

Once a trafficking victim has been pulled out of the life — a delicate task that involves overcoming fear, trust issues and the deep traumatic emotional bond that a victim can form with the trafficker — the victims need food, clothing and shelter. And they need counseling, safety and security.

Safe Homes began working with My Sister's Place a couple of years ago, as they began realizing that some of the women brought to them by police as victims of domestic violence were actually being forced into prostitution. The men who'd beaten them weren't their boyfriends — they were their pimps. The relationship dynamics were similar, with violence used as control.

Many of their trafficking victims have never contacted police, said Safe Homes Director Kellyann Kostyal-Larrier.

Catholic Charities has legal services for immigrants, which can help protect trafficking victims from abroad, as well as case management and some financial assistance for trafficking victims. Safe Homes and My Sister's Place provide shelters and counseling, among other services.

There's work to be done, and this group is just the beginning. They'll continue to reach out to other service providers, law enforcement and the community to spread the word so everyone can watch for the red flags of trafficking.

"The traffickers really want us not to be paying attention," Wong said.